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A change is taking hold at rural and regional water systems
across the country. More and more boards are seeing a need
for central sewers among their customers to replace aging
septic tanks and individual lagoons. Many see this as an
additional community service
they can offer. Others see this as an additional burden the
system is being asked to shoulder. In many ways, this
groundswell stands where rural water stood fifty years ago,
addressing a need to take a more regional approach to
wastewater. Many feel the move
is overdue. In some communities overtaxed septic systems
have resulted in ditches filled
with raw sewage, creating health hazards that should not be
ignored and endangering
the environment. Just as cities typically offer both water
and sewer services to its citizens, many feel it makes sense
for rural water systems to do the same.
As a result, there has been a movement in state legislatures
to modify laws to authorize rural water systems to own,
operate and maintain central sewer systems for their
customers. Local water systems need this statutory
authority to proceed. There are a number of factors boards
should keep in mind should they choose to move in this
direction. There should be a clearly defined vital need for
the service, special discharge permitting
will be required, operational expertise will have to be
acquired, and user charge rates and
billing systems will need to be put in place. Offering this
public service obviously adds obligations some systems do
not want to assume. Some areas have left the sewer
system development to be created by another local
authority. Some feel the challenges
of meeting federal and state requirements for a water system
are enough. Many states
have this purpose being met by municipal authorities like
cities, towns and villages. In
the cases where the water is served by another authority,
they will enter into intergovernmental agreements for the
common use of right-of-way, billing and providing
water usage data to determine user charges.
Systems that proceed may wish to consider setting up the
sewer service as a stand-alone, self-supporting utility
enterprise, paying its own way independent of the water
service. This approach insulates those rural water users
that are unable to participate in the system
from costs associated with the sewer system. The system
will also have to hire a licensed operator. In addition,
they’ll need to acquire construction permitting from
appropriate local, state, and federal agencies.
The board should develop a plan that includes moving through
a clearly defined process.
As a minimum, the system will need an NPDES (National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit to discharge
the wastewater effluent and a facility plan (preliminary
engineering report). Once these actions have been completed
funding will need to be secured. Fortunately, potential
financing is available from sources like USDA Rural
Development, Community Development Block Grants and EPA
State Revolving Loan
Funds. Most entities are familiar with the agencies that
administer these funds and are familiar with the processes.
Additionally, county health departments play an important
role in documenting the local need for central sewer
systems. As always, effective engineering design is
critical. Final design is followed by right-of-way
acquisition, construction and finally start-up operation of
the new system.
Providing central sewer service can have a big impact on
rural water systems and their customers. It is common to
have a regional water supply meeting the water supply needs
of smaller communities. Those small communities often
struggle with leadership and
may not have the desire or expertise to complete a major
capital improvement project. Regional water systems have
the experience and can embrace these types of projects.
As an example, there were two communities in central
Missouri struggling with individual sewer systems failing
and solicited the help of the regional water system. Since
some of the leaders of the regional water system lived in
these communities, they were well aware
of the sewer problems. Working with their engineer and
local attorney, they put together
a sewer plan very similar to their original water plan and
were able to bring central sewers
to each community. They expanded their billing system to
accommodate the collection
of the sewer revenue. Additionally, they provided
additional training for their operators and were able to
become licensed operators for the sewer systems.
Consistent with their heritage, more and more rural water
systems are seeing a challenge and stepping up to the plate
to satisfy a community need. There’s nothing new about that.
Rural water has been addressing community needs for over
half a century. |
